Thai pig farmers oppose imports of American pork

BANGKOK, June 10 (TNA) - Pig raisers will meet Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on June 11 to express their opposition to her government’s plan to permit the import of American pork. Surachai Sutthitham, President of the Swine Raisers Association of Thailand, told reporters on Monday that about 2,000 pig raisers will seek a meeting with Premier Yingluck on Tuesday to oppose her administration's planned permission for the import of American pork. Surachai said they will tell the prime minister that the import of American pork will ruin the livings of small Thai swine raisers because they cannot compete with the cheaper American pork, resulting from lower costs of feeds in the United States. Surachai also pointed out that the United States has permitted the use of ractopamine and carbadox to make red pork, but the Department of Livestock Development under the Thai Ministry Agriculture and Cooperatives has banned the chemicals in swine raising; so, the import of American pork will violate Thai health laws and shock Thai consumers. (TNA)